So many rugs—only one Jill Zarin.Ngoc Minh Ngo
Jill Zarin is a woman of many talents and not all of them have to do with creating great reality television. Before she was a Real Housewife, she was a real name in the décor industry—running Zarin Fabrics with her late husband, Bobby. Now she’s going back to her roots with a rug line she launched last year in collaboration with eSaleRugs.
This accessory has always been a mainstay of her personal design philosophy. “Rugs ground the room,” she says. When designing a space, Zarin suggests, “Picking the rug first and then working from there.”
A round Lexington Avenue rug.Ngoc Minh Ngo
Zarin’s Manhattan Collection has two lines—Uptown and Downtown. Not surprisingly, each rug is named after a well known New York City street or neighborhood. The Downtown collection has nine different patterns. With bright and colorful hues—they were inspired by fine art. Strikingly different, the Uptown collection features more classic looks from textured solids to simple geometric patterns, in a variety of color choices. Every piece from each collection is available in multiple shapes and sizes, including runners, round rugs and up to 9’ X 12’ rectangles.
Known for her Upper East Side apartment, this collection is Downtown.Ngoc Minh Ngo
The most surprising thing about Zarin’s rugs is that they are truly practical because they’re made from hydrophobic fibers which are stain resistant. In other words, the fibers don’t absorb water so you can remove any spills with just a paper towel. This means you can feel free to channel your inner housewife and spill a little red wine without causing drama that ends up on Page Six the next day.
When she was creating the line, Zarin felt it was important for the product to be organic both to her brand as well as the unedited version of herself. While she is known for having a beautiful designer wardrobe, she told me “I’ve always been a value shopper. I love Hermès and Zara.” Translating her fashion philosophy to decor—pieces start at $49 and the most expensive 9’ X 12’ rug costs just $599. Shipping and returns are always free. Zarin says, “The rugs feel like they’re made of silk.” So while they are inexpensive, they don’t look cheap.
A contemporary look from the Uptown collection.Ngoc Minh Ngo
While Zarin’s homes have always been beautiful—she openly admits she has made many design mistakes in the past, especially when it comes to rugs. She even confessed she once spent more money cleaning a rug than what she actually paid for it. Like many pet owners, Zarin says her fur baby, Ginger, who is blind, often confuses her rugs for a very soft “wee-wee pad.”
If you are feeling inspired by Zarin’s style, she suggests switching out your rugs seasonally for a mini-room makeover you don’t need to be on television to afford.